National Candy Cane Day
National Candy Cane Day:
Celebrated on December 26th every year. The day is celebrated to appreciate the Candy Cane, its history and its taste.
Year | Date | Day | Where |
2019 | December 26th | Thursday | United States |
2020 | December 26th | Saturday | United States |
2021 | December 26th | Sunday | United States |
Twitter Hashtags:
#NationalCandyCaneDay
#CandyCaneDay
Related: Other National Days Celebrated on December 26th:
Why National Candy Cane Day?
The day is celebrated to appreciate the Candy Cane, its history and its taste. Candycane is a cane-shaped hard candy stick. Traditionally it has red and white stripes flavored with peppermint and also known as peppermint sticks. Nowadays it is also made in a variety of flavors, colors, and thicknesses. Though the candy cane is available all through the year, it is in high demand during the Christmas holiday in the U.S. So National Candy Cane Day is celebrated a day after Christmas.
How to celebrate National Candy Cane Day?
- Post pictures with different candy canes on social media using hashtag #NationalCandyCaneDay
- You can also post recipes to use up leftover candy canes after Christmas.
- Since it is a day after Christmas, enjoy the day with crunching and munching Candy canes bought and received for Christmas. As candy canes have only sugar and no fat or cholesterol feel free to indulge in the taste of candy canes this National Candy Cane Day.
- You can make your own Candy Cane if feeling extra festive and excited.
- With lots of leftover candy canes after Christmas, try some recipes like Candycane Brownies, candy cane cupcakes, candy cane cookies, peppermint hot chocolate mix, candy cane vodka, candy cane scones, etc. and enjoy the holiday with family.
- Being tired of baking for Christmas refresh yourself with a warm Candycane Hot Chocolate in this cold season prepared from the leftover candy canes with the below recipe.
- Slow-cooked peppermint hot chocolate
Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
2 cups cocoa powder
12 cups whole milk
2tspn vanilla extract
1 tsp kosher salt
8oz dark chocolate finely chopped
24 peppermint candy canes crushed
3 cups mini marshmallows
Method:
- Whisk together sugar, cocoa powder in a slow cooker. Turn on the cooker to high and slowly whisk in the milk. Add vanilla and salt and cook covered for 1.5hrs
- Open the lid and whisk in chopped chocolate little at a time till incorporated. Cook for 30mins
- Turn cooker to warm and serve the hot chocolate in small bowls of crushed candy canes and mini marshmallows.
- For a peppermint hot chocolate, let a few teaspoons of crushed candy cane melt in an 8-ounce cup and serve hot.
Interesting Facts on National Candy Cane Day:
- Originally candy canes were hard, straight and white candy stick invented by a French priest in the 1400s.
- Legend says that in 1670, a choirmaster in a Cathedral in Germany bent the candy cane in the form of a cane to represent a shepherd’s staff.
- Candy canes with red stripes were introduced in the early 1900s.
- Urban legends say that the candy cane’s shape represents the first letter of Jesus ‘J’, white color represents Jesus’s purity, red color his crucification, the solid texture symbolizes solid rock foundation of the Church and the crooked shape the Shepherds crook.
- But, according to records, recipe of Peppermint candy sticks were written in 1844 and were recorded as hung from Christmas trees since 1874.
- Whatever the legend be, candy canes have become a traditional part of Christmas celebrations. So enjoy the day.
- Making candy canes was a tedious job especially in huge quantities. Machine for making candy canes was invented in 1921 by Brasher O.Westerfield.
- Nearly 1.76billion candy canes are made each year.
- The biggest candy cane was 51ft long as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
History of National Candy Cane Day:
The origin of the celebration of the day is unknown.